Seabreeze Pupils Head For Russia 102 To Perform During 11-day Concert Trip

March 17, 1986|By Pat LaMee of The Sentinel Staff

DAYTONA BEACH — Looking forward to the experience of a lifetime, members of the Seabreeze Senior High School marching band departed Sunday for an 11-day concert tour of the Soviet Union.

Under cloudy skies and the threat of tornadoes, the 102 students -- members of the Seabreeze Marching 100 Band -- gathered at the school before 7 a.m. to tag luggage, give their passports to school officials and board buses for Orlando International Airport.

Dressed in vivid colors and modern styles they hope will interest Russian students, band members cracked jokes and bid farewell to parents and friends. Most admitted ''a few butterflies'' in their stomachs, but said they were not worried about their safety.

''I'm excited but not frightened,'' said 16-year-old Robert Pearson, 75 Lincoln Drive, Ormond Beach. ''I'm looking forward to the 9-hour plane ride from New York to Helsinki, Finland, and to seeing snow for the first time and visiting Lenin's Tomb and the Russian Circus.''

The Seabreeze marching band, which takes a major trip every three years, chose the Soviet Union on a suggestion by the group's travel agent. The band, traveling as tourists, is not an official representative of the United States, even though it will be giving four concerts.

Armed with his best camera and eight rolls of film, Pearson, a two-year band member said raising the nearly $135,000 that financed the group's tour was hard. ''But,'' he said, ''it will be worth it.''

Pearson and Brian Zinn, 15, 923 N. Brook Drive, Ormond Beach, will observe birthdays on March 24, two days before they return. home.

Zinn's mother, Pat, said she was as excited as the kids, many of whom were leaving the country for the first time. She said she knew her son would be fine.

''As a mother, of course, I'm a little apprehensive, mainly because I won't be there with him,'' she said. ''But I think it's a wonderful experience and I know they'll be well-taken care of.

''This is the type of opportunity that our generations didn't have and it is a growth and educational experience for them,'' Mrs. Zinn said. ''When they first talked about it, I said, 'Are you kidding? Russia?' but these kids are really lucky to be going.''

Jennifer Leone, 15, 722 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach, said she wants to meet students in Helsinki and the cities of Leningrad and Tallinn, where the band will attend socials.

''We don't speak Russian, but we've been told most everyone we'll see will speak some English,'' she said. ''I think we'll find the students there are the same as we are and I expect them to be friendly. I'll bet they will be filled with questions for us.''

Expecting cold weather, Leone said she and others went to catalogues to order heavy winter clothing unavailable in Florida.

Dave Anderson, band booster president and one of 24 chaperones, said donations covered about $25,000 of the trip's costs. Another $10,000 came from fund-raising projects in the last year. Each band member had to raise about $900.

Anderson said some of the kids got financial credit by working on different school fund-raisers. Others paid their share by working after school and evenings.

Pam Rakes, 14, 359 Warwick Ave., Ormond Beach, said she worked nearly a year as a receptionist and a maid to earn her fare. She expects to learn things that will help in her world history class.

Besides giving concerts, the band will shop in Helsinki, and sightsee in Moscow, where they will attend the Russian Circus and visit Red Square.

Gov. Bob Graham has designated the group as Florida's goodwill ambassadors to the Soviet Union. The state Bureau of Cultural Affairs granted the band $1,500.

The band's attitude about the trip was best expressed by a sign on the truck that carried its instruments and luggage. It read: ''To Russia With Love.''